Friday, May 20, 2011

For a variety of reasons that I'm not going to go into, we decided not to hold Madison Craft Beer Week during the Brewer's Association's designated "American Craft Beer Week." It was very tempting, but we didn't. However, your Wisconsin brewers are participating in American Craft Beer Week. So, get out this weekend and check out some of the guest taps at your favorite local brewery or brewpub.

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Wisconsin Brewer’s Guild Celebrates American Craft Beer Week,

May 16-22, 2011

MADISON, WI – May 16, 2011 – The Wisconsin Brewer’s Guild is celebrating American Craft Beer Week, May 16-22, 2011. Wisconsin craft brewers are celebrating the camaraderie of this close-knit industry by hosting a “Guest Tap” beer at breweries and brewpubs around the state.

“Wisconsin Brewer’s Guild members make some of the best craft beer in the world. We want to give our customers the chance to sample Wisconsin brands they may never have tasted,” said Jeff Hamilton, President, Wisconsin Brewer’s Guild and President of Sprecher Brewing, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. “It is refreshing to be part of an industry where your competitors are also your friends and you can genuinely toast each others’ success. The majority of Americans live within ten miles of a craft brewer. This is the week we are inviting everyone to stop by and have a beer with us.”

During the week of May 16, celebrations will take place at a variety of breweries all across the state. Events include the release of special beers, food and beer pairings, craft beer dinners, and special brewery tours. A list of events can be found on the Wisconsin Brewer’s Guild website:http://wibrewersguild.com/

“Wisconsin Beer Lovers Members should check out what their local breweries or brewpubs are offering WiBL members,” Hamilton said. “We want to celebrate craft beer, but we also want to thank our WiBL members for being such loyal supporters of our brands.”

American Craft Beer Week is celebrated throughout the United States and is designed to highlight the small and independent craft brewers, and their products. The Brewers Association defines a craft brewer as small, independent and traditional, producing fewer than 6 million barrels per year, with less than 25% of the brewery owned or controlled by an alcoholic beverage industry member, who is not themselves a craft brewer. Craft beer is generally made with traditional ingredients like malted barley, but the hallmarks of craft beer are innovative styles and interpretations of traditional ingredients.

2 comments:

Collaboration at its finest. Fear the competition? No. Fellow Wisconsin micro-brewers put each other on tap. That my fellow craft drinkers speaks volumes about how brewers view other breweries. We also regularly keep other Wisconsin breweries on tap and some from out of the state and/or country.

Sorry Nathan, a one-time promotional stunt does not qualify as legitimate collaboration. Are you all keeping each other on tap? No. How many of you have shared information and brewing capabilities to develop a cool new recipe?

To be fair to you, Sand Creek has done great work in the greater community. Your support of nascent brewers through the contract work you do is commendable. Moreover, the Grumpy Creek was a perfect example of two breweries coming together to make something better than the sum of its parts.

It's unfortunate that your attitude is not replicated across the Wisconsin Brewers Guild. True collaboration bridges communities and builds new bases.